There's a lot to love about this delicious rice casserole starting with the rice itself. Arborio rice is so starchy and fun to work with, not to mention hearty and delicious. The rice is infused with tomato sauce giving it a wonderful tomatoey flavour that pairs perfectly with the saute of veggies. The saute includes fresh zucchini, button mushroom, bell pepper, and onion, along with some pepper flakes for heat, seasoning, and tomato sauce to tie it together with the rice.

The casserole is layered with rice and sauteed veggies, topped with shredded cheese, and baked until firm and delicious. It cuts like a lasagne and holds together perfectly as well. Finish it off with a sprinkling of your favourite fresh herb and ENJOY!

A few weeks back, I told you guys that I was going to start putting out new animal news videos once a week and I'm on track to get that done! My plans are to reduce the length of the videos and cut back to two topics a week to keep things consistent and accessible. I'm super excited to be putting out videos more frequently and I hope that you guys will be as excited as I am.

Here's the topics for my next video!DIRTY MEAT - HYGIENE FAILINGS IN U.S. PIG AND CHICKEN PLANTSAn investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism and the Guardian has exposed the lack of hygiene practices within several U.S. meat processing plants. Filthy conditions, meat covered in feces and abscesses, and carcasses piling up due to faulty equipment were some of the atrocities exposed.The United Kingdom is worried a trade deal with the U.S. will bring over tainted meat but the fact is, the U.K. has also been busted repeatedly for poor hygiene within their animal processing plants.The fact is, animal processing plants are disgusting regardless of where they are. There's nothing hygienic about slaughtering millions of animals a year in one plant. I'm breaking down the reality of animal processing plants and the facts behind their hygiene standards. ANIMAL TESTING - OPINION PIECEAnimal testing has been happening for several years and for a variety of products / reasons. Everything from beauty products and household cleaning products, to experimental treatments for illnesses and disease. Animals are subjected to unnatural conditions, given disease which ultimately leads to a life of suffering, and live their lives in labs. There is absolutely no justification for this and I'm going to discuss the problems with animal testing. I've also got a few solutions and ideas for new products that don't involve animals.

I love using cauliflower in the kitchen because it really can be used in such a variety of ways. Sliced for "steaks", roasted, mashed, steamed, fried, baked etc. Cauliflower can do it all.

What I especially love about Cauliflower is its ability to blend into a thick, creamy sauce that is perfect for my barley risotto. Traditional risotto is a labour of love that involves constant stirring, adding, and tweaking. My cauliflower version is a bit of a cheater's risotto but it isn't lacking on creaminess or flavour, that's for sure.

Tender barley and green peas are folded into a creamy cauliflower sauce and served for a rich, flavourful, barley risotto. Head to the RECIPES page!

Cauliflower is a pretty remarkable veggie. Not only is it exceptionally good for you, but it's super versatile. You can use cauliflower in so many different ways including making thick, creamy sauces.This recipe is a bit of a cheaters risotto, but there's nothing lackluster about it! I've cooked a batch of tender barley and tossed it in a thick, rich, cauliflower sauce. The resulting "risotto" is flavourful, creamy, and ready in a flash.

SICILIAN STYLE RICE CASSEROLE

Inspired by a Tasty Video on Facebook, this rice casserole is super delicious and really quite easy to make.We've got a saute of veggies including bell pepper, zucchini, and mushrooms, as our first layer, followed by a thick, flavourful layer of arborio rice. I finished the casserole with a layer of shredded mozzarella and baked it up until fluffy and wonderful.The casserole sliced like a lasagne and tasted fabulous, I can't wait for you guys to try it.

Having made a tuscan style soup at work before, I decided to do a little searching online for different Tuscan style soups to try and find a common ground. What makes a soup "Tuscan" style?

From what I sourced, Tuscan style cooking centers around simplicity. A few fresh, quality ingredients, minimal sauces and spices, and oil versus butter. So, knowing this, I created this delicious and super simple tuscan bean and vegetable soup.

Following the idea that food should be simple and delicious, my Tuscan Bean and Vegetable Soup hits all the right notes. Fresh vegetables including kale and potatoes, hearty kidney beans, and a simple broth with notes of pepper flake and thyme. Served over a few tablespoons of grated parmesan, the resulting soup is savoury, fresh, and wonderful.

Ugly yellow picture aside, this recipe is super simple and really delicious. I always say, there's room for one more veggie on your plate / in your dish, so it's important to try and slip extra veggies in where you can.

For this gratin,. I have added sliced cauliflower in with the potatoes. Everything is covered in a creamy sauce and layer of cheese, and baked until bubbly and delicious. What you're left with is perfectly tender cauli and potatoes, a glorious cheesy topping, and a happy belly.

Most Tuscan inspired recipes you'll find online have one theme in common, simplicity. Fresh ingredients and minimal spices, allowing the ingredients to shine.My Tuscan inspired bean and vegetable soup follows that theme with fresh veggies including celery, carrot, and kale, as well as simple seasonings like thyme and pepper flakes for heat.​Served over grated parmesan which boosts the flavour and adds a savouriness to the broth, the soup is delicious and super easy.

CAULIFLOWER & POTATO GRATIN

Adding extra veggies into your favourite recipes is a great way to get more veg into your diet. My philosophy is, there's always room for one more in whatever you're making. For this gratin, I've added some fresh, sliced cauliflower to the mix which makes a great companion to potatoes. Everything is then baked under a layer of cheese until brown and bubbly, and finished with a sprinkling of fresh herbs for colour.​

I've got some news for you guys! I've been scouring the net for the best animal news stories to cover for you guys and I realized that there were so many to discuss, one video wasn't going to cut it. I absolutely love filming the videos and despite how much work they can be, I really want to try and put more more of them out. That's why I've decided to try and challenge myself for the sake of my blog!

Starting the first week of March, I will be releasing a new video every week. That means, every week I'll be breaking down and commenting on some of the top animal news stories across the globe. It's so important to me to stay on top of animal rights and stay at the forefront of what's happening to animals. As important as vegetarian food and blogging are to me, animal rights will always be my passion.

Working in a Vegan restaurant for the past 2 years has truly been a blessing. I've learned so many new recipes and techniques that I will definitely be taking with me throughout my life. One of those recipes is Sataras.

Sataras is a stew of tomatoes, onions, and peppers, that is so simple and yet, so delicious. It can be served many ways but I have chosen to serve it much like we do at work, over a bed of rice. The rice soaks up all of the delicious tomato stew flavours and makes every bite hearty, and wonderful.

At my work, we typically serve Sataras with a side of something breaded and crispy. We've used eggplant and zucchini in the past, both of which provided a welcome crunch to the dish. I chose to go with eggplant for the recipe but feel free to bread and bake / fry anything to add a little crunch to the dish.